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"Spotlight Award"
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Kenny Zornes - 13 |
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| Birthdate: |
10/20/45 |
| Birthplace: |
Logan, West Virginia |
| Occupation: |
College Administrator |
| Family: |
Wife: Liz, Children: Brian, Anne, Janelle, Scott, and Ben.
Daughter-in-law Song and grandson, Brady. |
| Hobbies: |
Rock climbing, golf, reading and hitting against Ed Gamlin. |
| MSBL History: |
28+ Tigers 1989-2002
38+ Cubs 2002-present
Past American Division President
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| Favorite Resturant: |
Cafe Izmir |
| Favorite Opponents: |
Some of my fellow school board members |
| Fantasy Job: |
Captain of the Starship Enterprise |
| New Rule Needed: |
Any player who refers to me or any other player over 50 as
"SIR" will be recorded as an automatic out at his next at-bat. |
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I am truly flattered to be "Spotlighted" on the North Texas MSBL's Website. I join a very elite group of men who have preceded me: Larry Roseborough, Carlo Strippoli, Harold Butcher, Jesse Bean, and Randy Wooley. I have had the pleasure of being a teammate of all of these men. Their stories and profiles make for great reading. I suspect some still haven't finished reading Bean's tome from October 2003. Hopefully I can add something worthwhile.
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"This is crazy, This is crazy, This is crazy"
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I joined the league in '89 with the Tigers and stayed with them until 2002 when I went over to the Cubs in the 38+ division. It has been a blast from the get-go. I don't remember exactly how it happened but I got invited to play with the Tigers without a tryout. I pulled out my old SpotBilt spikes that I had last used when I was catching for Marshall University in 1965, which was the last time I had played any baseball. I had played fast pitch softball in the Army and slow pitch in YMCA leagues, but no baseball. I went to a batting cage the day before my first game with the Tigers and took 20 or 30 cuts left handed and right handed without making contact. It was not a pretty sight. Finally I managed to foul off a few pitches and left. I really considered not showing up for that first game - I just knew that this 44-year-old rookie was going to make a complete fool of himself. |
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| Nevertheless, I had made a commitment and there I was, in the starting line-up for the Tigers. To say I was nervous would be an understatement, but that quickly subsided when my first at-bat in more than 20 years was a homerun. |
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I look forward to every game, every week. And although we have an outstanding organization here in Dallas a with one of the biggest and best leagues in the country, there is nothing that can compare with the MSBL World Series in Phoenix each October. Every MSBL player needs to make at least one trip to Phoenix. I plan to return for my 12th series this year in hopes of returning home with a World Series ring as I did in 1999. Obviously, my best memory of the World Series is winning it in '99, but there are other great stories to tell and of course some that should never be told.
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The most intense game I've ever been in was in Phoenix against the Virgin Islands. It was a three inning tie breaker to decide which team would advance to the play- offs. We won that game 1-0. I had three chances at third base, with my heart pounding, knowing that an error could cost us the play-offs and I managed not to boot any of those easy grounders.
In a game with Harold Butcher as the starting pitcher and me catching, Harold and I discuss how he wants me to set up behind the plate, go over our signals and other typical pre-game items. We're the home team and the first batter is at the plate. Harold looks in for the signal, I put down one finger and Harold shakes me off. He shakes off the first freaking pitch of the game. I'm cussing, the batter and umpire are laughing their butts off while I head to the mound to confer with the spaceman. Harold tells me he always likes to start a game with a curve. I called the fast ball again but Harold threw the curve anyway. We had a great time!
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I have enjoyed every minute of my time in the MSBL and I plan to be like the Energizer bunny - I'm just going to keep on going. I think the best way for me to sum up how I feel about playing baseball again, beginning at 44 and now at 58 is what I say to myself at some point in every game in Phoenix, " Its the middle of the week, I'm 58 years old, and I'm playing baseball in a big league park- it doesn't get any better than this."
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